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Could you edit your question to clarify what you are asking? Do you want to know how to ask for help, or how to offer help, or how to thank someone for their help? This question covers a lot of ground, and it would be easier to answer if you condensed it down to a core question (especially if it's based on a concrete problem that you're facing).
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Amanda SJun 24 '11 at 3:43

oh. thats true. i should have done a specific topic, to be easier for someone to answer. sorry. i was just little excited to know everything about "help" in japanese. I'm always confused which expression i can use, while in english i can use "help" for every situation. maybe i will make another topic, specifying one of my problems (about "help"). thanks amanda~
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daniel tomioJun 24 '11 at 4:16

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as @Amanda said, it's generally better to ask focussed question here. You shouldn't worry too much about getting a broader answer that covers many cases and examples: from experience, it will always be the case (e.g.: even if you ask for the way to say this in one specific context, many people will also give you other contexts anyway).
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Dave♦Jun 24 '11 at 5:28

I'd like to add this one: "Is there anything I can help you with?" usually ends with the Japanese people dismissing it out of courtesy. How can I get them to not do that?
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KdanskyJun 24 '11 at 14:57

3 Answers
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I fully agree, this is much harder to translate (well) than one would expect.

There are hundreds of nuances and scenarios covered by the English "can I help you", and you list a lot of them... So I'll focus on three very typical broad categories (I'm sure people will give you more):

Strangers: Typically, offering your help finding directions to a tourist who looks lost.

Rather than a direct "Can I help you?", any variations on "are you OK?" (implying that you are ready to help) is probably the best way to go. Depending on context, anything from a 大丈夫ですか？ to 道に迷っているんですか。

Close friends and family: Where an equivalent of the informal "Need a hand?" would be appropriate. Then 手伝う can come handy... From a purely cultural standpoint, I still would try to keep it sounding more like an offer than a question. E.g. 手伝ってあげよう ("let me help!") rather than (the otherwise perfectly correct): 手伝って欲しい？ ("do you want me to help?").

Less close friends, subordinates or same-level colleagues would be variations of the above (with appropriate use of polite verbal forms).

Your boss (or any person high-enough above you): is a different matter. There are many sonkeigo-infused expressions to offer help. They all have in common that you must make it sound like you are asking for a favour, not doing them a favour.

One of my personal favourite sonkeigo expression for that is:

お手伝いさせていただきます

(with countless variants:)

お手伝いさせていただきますか

お手伝いさせていただきましょうか

お手伝わさせていただきますか

etc.

Which literally means you are begging your boss to do you the favour of accepting your help.

Edit: as for ways to thank somebody for their help. It is once again down to context. Most basic (and literal) way would be: 手伝ってくれてありがとうございました but if it was a big favour/help, you can't go wrong by focussing on "the trouble you've caused" (and apologising for it), in which case you'd use: 迷惑をかけて申し訳無い (for bigger favours) or a simple すみません (which means both "sorry" and "thank you" in that context).

oh. i thought my question was soo long for someone to answer it. haha. but u did, and did it perfectly. really thanks. I didnt solve all of my problems with "help", but it was really great to read what u wrote. its clearer. ^^ thnks
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daniel tomioJun 24 '11 at 4:20